


Breathe in breathe out

by rabiddog



Series: Whumptober 2020 [13]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Drowning, Gen, Kageyama Tobio Angst, Kageyama Tobio Needs a Hug, Kageyama Tobio-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:13:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26991961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rabiddog/pseuds/rabiddog
Summary: Kageyama probably should have mentioned that he couldn't swim.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio & Karasuno Volleyball Club
Series: Whumptober 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956667
Comments: 15
Kudos: 208





	Breathe in breathe out

A day on a boat with the Karasuno team. It sounded... fine enough, right? Nothing could go wrong with sitting down and relaxing while people splashed in the sea, and coach Ukai told them to all shut up already. 

Tobio supposed that it sounded like a decent day out of fun - something that could both bring the team together further and also give them a needed break to let off some steam (steam that they hadn’t already let off during their countless, strenuous volleyball matches against other people). 

It didn’t sound like it would be the worst time in the world or something that would leave Tobio regretting he’d shown up at all. 

So, sure, Kageyama could do that, he didn’t mind sitting on a sunbed, perhaps, while the others played in the water and dived into the deep, deep blue, it wasn’t a horrible way to spend a Saturday (even if he’d prefer to be getting some more needed practice in.) He supposed that they really did deserve a slight break, especially with the number of games that they’d partaken in recently. 

So, he’d been open for the idea, showing up alongside Hinata to meet up with the rest of their teammates, and then they’d set off. 

Kageyama probably should have told them that he couldn’t actually swim before they decided to start pushing each other in. 

  
Kageyama’s lithe, shocked body hit the water with a heavy splash, the cold liquid soon encompassing his body like a taunting, menacing embrace, making sure to tug on each and every part of him till he was falling, falling, falling, deeper and deeper into the murky depths of the ocean. Kageyama knew that he should never have agreed to come. 

He began to thrash; he began to swing and lash out, desperate to push himself upwards - back towards the surface. Air bubbles dribbled past his open, screaming lips, squinting away in the light, almost harshly teasing the young setter as they dragged away from the last of the oxygen stored inside his delicate lungs. Tobio watched the bubbles drift away, and in a way, thought that it sorts of symbolized the life gradually draining from his weakening body. 

It wasn’t like Kageyama wanted to die; he certainly didn’t want to drown to death, but what was the other option? He could fight his way upwards, could push and use every last drop of energy that he had stored inside of himself, or he could let go of the urge to continue on. Wouldn’t it be more peaceful if he were just to let go and let the water drag him down? 

Biting, glacial tendrils circled over Kageyama’s body, caressing his clothed form with an odd comfort that could only be brought on from the deepest parts of Tobio’s oxygen-starved brain. He felt himself relaxing into it, letting his eyes shut a little more as he stared upwards. 

The harsh, blinding rays of light that were shining down on him were there, as prominent as ever, almost taunting Tobio as he drifted down deeper into a harrowing unknown. He could no longer feel the warmth that the rays had once brought to his pale skin; instead, it had been replaced with callous touches and bites at his drowning form. 

Drowning, while it was what he was going through, didn’t feel like anything at all. Tobio had expected it to hurt a little, to have him feel the harsh burn of his lungs as they begged, and begged for a lick of oxygen; he expected his throat to feel raw and used from useless screaming; he expected his eyes to shriek and hiss from the salty water. 

While the feelings were there, in the very back of his mind, he couldn’t even begin to pay attention to them. They almost felt like distant, distant memories, something hidden behind a padlocked door with no key in sight. 

For the first time in his life, Kageyama truly felt at peace with what was happening. 

A bubble of laughter broke through Tobio’s slow-death, piercing his mind and infesting his depowering brain like a swarm of invading wasps. His body gave a jolt; he could recognize the ringing tickle of joy that escaped Hinata’s lips, then Suga’s; Yamaguchi’s, hell, Tobio could hear Tsukishima laughing. It was rare, but noticeable when you got the joy of hearing it leave the tall middle blocker. 

(Tobio didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing his teammates happy and joyful, blossoming with laughter and showing off warm smiles.) 

At least they were happy, Kageyama mused to himself as his eyes began to ease down once more. The once blinding light was getting dimmer, turning into heavy darkness that sat, looming over his shoulders like a weighty cape. They were happy, and they’d be able to stay that way, at least for a little longer. A part of Tobio felt like he should be angry that they hadn’t noticed he was still missing; he should be angry that they were having fun without him, but he couldn’t be. He just couldn’t be. 

What would be the point? It wasn’t like he wanted to spend his last moments in a fit of raging, scalding anger; he’d much rather feel at peace within himself. He’d much prefer to imagine that he was sat at home - the rain playing a gentle melody in the background - as he thought of what volleyball trick he and Hinata should try next. 

But now, Tobio barely had the energy even to think, anymore. 

A smooth shift in the water and Kageyama’s eyes were finally closing down. His lungs had long since lost the oxygen kept within them and were slowly shrinking in on themselves, disappearing with the lack of use. They’d served their purpose; for a good fifteen years, they’d kept Kageyama’s body running at a constant high. It was time they were allowed their much-needed break too, no? 

Kageyama didn’t even flinch as his body thumped against a soft, sandy ground.

**Author's Note:**

> CC: [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/rabiddogs)  
> Twitter: [Wilbyz](https://twitter.com/wiIbyz)


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